Free Refund by Karen E. Bender

shimmered on its empty walls. Black palms, bathed in blue light, swayed in the warm wind. The bushes in his gardens had been trimmed to the shapes of elephants, giraffes, bears, and they made a silent, regal procession through the darkness. He stood for a moment, in the quiet he had made, before he went inside.
    The girl stood at the top of the stairs. He would not have been aware of her but for the ferocity with which she stood there, as though she had dreamed herself in this position for years. She was gripping the railing, staring at him. Her face was dim, but he could see her fingernails holding the rail—they were an absurdly bright gold. She ran down the stairs so fast he thought she might fall.
    â€œHello,” she said.
    His legs felt as insubstantial as water. He looked at Aurora. He believed she had to be about twelve years old. Her face had the hard, polite quality of someone who had been scheming quietly and fervently for a long time. Her auburn hair reached halfway down her back. She had Lola’s eyebrows, two arched Us that gave her an alert, surprised expression. She had Charlene’s navy blue eyes. They were the color of steel and moved around restlessly, but they had a hard gaze when they settled on something. He knew because they were also his eyes.
    â€œHello,” he said. He offered his hand. She grabbed it. He still wore the Bluetooth headset he usually wore so as not to miss any calls.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?” he asked.
    â€œI was sent.”
    â€œBy who?”
    â€œMy mother.”
    She handed him a letter. The letterhead said:
    BUENA VISTA REHABILITATION CLINIC
    Your secrets are ours .
    Dad—
    I am here for the next three months .
    Take care of Aurora .
    She likes chocolate .
    I’m so tired .
    Charlene’s signature resembled a tiny knot.
    The letter’s tone was so polite he knew that she had been trying to please someone watching her as she wrote it.
    â€œIs this where your mother is?”
    She nodded and stepped carefully toward the enormous living room windows. “This was in a magazine,” she said.
    â€œ House and Garden ,” he said.
    She nodded. “It’s bigger in real life.”
    He wanted to stop her. She was standing against the window, pressing her fingers against the glass. He saw her make a breath on the glass, a pale oval, and the intimacy of the action made him want to walk away.
    Two large suitcases sat in the foyer. He gestured to them and said, “Carlos can take them up for you.”
    Aurora rushed up to one and grabbed the handle. “No!” she said. “I want to do this one myself.”
    The bag was not actually a suitcase, but a large green canvas sack. It bulged, oddly, with unidentifiable objects.
    â€œYou can’t carry that yourself,” he said.
    She looked pleased, as if she’d predicted he would say this. “Then you help me.”
    He could not even remember the last time he’d carried anyone’s bag, including his own. “Rosita, call Carlos,” said Lenny.
    â€œNo,” said Aurora. “You.”
    Rosita brought him a dolly, and he pushed the bag into the elevator. The girl walked beside him, fiercely gripping the bag handle. The elevator rose to the second floor. When they got to the guest room, he stopped.
    â€œYou can stay here,” he said.
    She walked in, dragged the bag into a corner. “Thank you,” she said.
    â€œGood night now,” he said.
    Her eyelids twitched. “I’m not sleepy.”
    He began to back away. “Hey, look,” he said. “I’m sorry. You’ll have to entertain yourself. You know.” He lifted his hands helplessly. “Sweeps. Nielsens. I don’t have time for babysitting. Rosita,” he said. “Aurora will be visiting us. Bring her hot chocolate.”
    Aurora stepped back and stared at the floor. She looked as though she had fallen from the sky.
    He felt he should say